Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya
Kenya: Public and publicly guaranteed debt service was 25.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya, 1975–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of exports of goods, services and primary income.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 25.4% for public and publicly guaranteed debt service in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 36.9% on the previous year and up 142.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya peaked at 34.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2011.
Kenya ranks 6th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of exports of goods, services and primary income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 4.3% | — |
| 1976 | 4.8% | +12.4% |
| 1977 | 4.0% | -16.6% |
| 1978 | 8.5% | +114.0% |
| 1979 | 8.4% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | +33.5% |
| 1981 | 15.1% | +34.5% |
| 1982 | 18.9% | +24.9% |
| 1983 | 19.1% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 18.4% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 21.5% | +16.8% |
| 1986 | 18.8% | -12.2% |
| 1987 | 24.0% | +27.5% |
| 1988 | 23.9% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 22.1% | -7.5% |
| 1990 | 22.7% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 23.7% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 19.2% | -19.0% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | -42.4% |
| 1994 | 16.6% | +50.3% |
| 1995 | 19.6% | +17.9% |
| 1996 | 17.2% | -12.2% |
| 1997 | 11.3% | -34.2% |
| 1998 | 11.0% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +5.9% |
| 2000 | 15.7% | +35.2% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | -26.1% |
| 2002 | 13.1% | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 13.9% | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 7.0% | -49.5% |
| 2005 | 9.3% | +32.2% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -30.2% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -11.4% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | -21.8% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -15.8% |
| 2011 | 3.8% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 4.0% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | +162.8% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | -39.3% |
| 2016 | 7.7% | +21.1% |
| 2017 | 11.1% | +43.9% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | +77.1% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | +73.5% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | -38.1% |
| 2021 | 14.3% | -32.3% |
| 2022 | 16.1% | +12.6% |
| 2023 | 18.6% | +15.4% |
| 2024 | 25.4% | +36.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 25.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.4%, 4.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 25.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.7%, 4.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.0% | 4.0% | 8.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 19.3% | 11.2% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.4% | 11.0% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.2% | 4.5% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.5% | 3.8% | 34.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.1% | 14.3% | 25.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More external debt data for Kenya
- IFC, private nonguaranteed -18.53 million NFL, US$ (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per capita -0.3284 NFL, US$ per person (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per unit of GDP -0.0002 NFL, US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- IFC, private nonguaranteed (NFL, US$), per square kilometre 23.21 NFL, US$ per square kilometre (2023)
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service 4.5% (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA 820.39 million NFL, current US$ (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA (NFL, current US$), per capita 14.54 NFL, current US$ per person (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA (NFL, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0068 NFL, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Net financial flows, IBRD 869.28 million NFL, current US$ (2024)
- Net financial flows, IDA (NFL, current US$), per square kilometre 1,386 NFL, current US$ per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya?
- Public and publicly guaranteed debt service in Kenya was 25.4% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest public and publicly guaranteed debt service recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 34.1% in 2019.
- What is the lowest public and publicly guaranteed debt service recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2011.
- How does Kenya rank for public and publicly guaranteed debt service?
- Kenya ranks 6th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is public and publicly guaranteed debt service rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 142.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of Public and publicly guaranteed debt service (% of exports of goods, services and primary income). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public and publicly guaranteed debt service to exports of goods, services, and income. Public and publicly guaranteed debt service is the sum of principal repayments and interest actually paid in currency, goods, or services on long-term obligations of public debtors and long-term private obligations guaranteed by a public entity. Exports of goods, services and primary income is the sum of goods (merchandise) exports, exports of (nonfactor) services and income (factor) receipts.